Words left unsaid, & Emotions misread
by LadyinInk
Summary: The two had always been friends, a day of unexpected passion, has now lead to a life of regret. But neither of them know it. ShikaxIno ShikaxTem


**A/N: I do not own any of these characters of course, credit to the artist in the display picture.**

 **I'm a fan of Ino, so you may see another fic with her in it. But my take on ShikaxIno, which is also my OTP. (; Hope you enjoy it 3**

 **Will probably edit, and rewrite later, for now I'm satisfied.**

* * *

As the dust settled, and the body count rose - the victory was celebrated shortly as more work was to be done. It smelled of sweat, blood, courage, and victory. But it wasn't the setting anyone wanted to be in. Eyes kept averting fallen comrades, in hopes to save the sorrow for a more appropriate time. Shouts from across the battlefield could be heard as survivors were found, "Medic, Medic!" It was a sound of hope in this current world of destruction.

The three young ninja, dirty and exhausted, made their way back into the village, no words had been uttered, what really could be said? Chouji quickly departed to check on his family, and see where his own father was at. All three of them had lost two courageous men, two skilled individuals, two well know shinobi, two fathers... Even though it was only Shikamaru and Ino's fathers, to Chouji it too felt like he lost a parent. Considering how close the three clans are.

The relieved feeling of returning home alive, was a short lived emotion, the young Kunochi, and Shinobi knew they would bring the unwanted news to their mothers. They each would have to console their mother, when they had yet had a chance to mourn the loss of their fathers themselves. Give out empathy and compassion when each of them felt as cold and lifeless as the bodies that were being carried away on stretchers from the battlefields, but that's not a fair comparison, because they at least could feel the warmth of the sun rising after the excruciating long hours spent fighting for not only their lives, but many others around the world.

Ino stopped first, her fists clenched, she seemed to be shaking. Shikamaru stopped when he realized the body next to him retracted, he looked to her, then both of their eyes focused on the ground, as if it would give them the answer on how to make breaking the news easier.

"Should we do this together? Or separate? I mean should we try to recover their bodies first? If they're even there? Maybe they're still alive? How do I start this off..." Ino started to babble, her eyes were welling up with the cold remorse of the situation, she was starting to shake more, coming closer to the reality of the situation, "I feel so...empty, Shikamaru..."

He looked over to her, and put an arm around his comrade, the beautiful blonde he grew up with who went from annoying him, to being one of his greatest motivators. Not many people saw the caring, compassionate, fun, and youthful side of Ino, he and Chouji got close too. The rest of their class saw her brash, overly motivated side, and mistook it for being 'bossy' or 'loud'. Shikamaru always appreciated it though, even when she did cross a line occasionally.

His mind was so engulfed in his own thoughts, he didn't realize his arms were now doing the same to the petite feminine body in front of him. His face was pressed into her dusty sun kissed hair, first time he had really seen it dirty...she was always clean, hair tidy, outfit like she just washed, face clear of any dirt, her nails somehow were perfect after any fight. Shikamaru stroked her long locks, tears slowly welling up in his eyes, he could feel her body shaking in his grasp. The feeling of experiencing how broken she was in this moment, left a very morose feeling in his gut. If he could, he'd take this pain away, but they were one in the same at the moment.

She slowly pulled herself back, her fingers had a tight grip on his jacket, her breathing seemed to finally even out. He looked down to meet the blue that always followed him on the battlefield, in his competitions, aroundt the town. He could never escape her praise, or will-of-fire she had for their team, and him. All the times before he would have loved to exchange a glance with her, this one stabbed him in his stomach, and turned the knife slowly. Killing him. She was still beautiful, but he had never seen her eyes this puffy. The blue seemed more electric as they were coated with a never ending secretion of tears, rosy cheeks and nose, cuts, dirt, and dried blood splattered on her face. Even though she usually wore a look of pride, and little tolerance. She was broken in his arms, and he couldn't put her back together no matter how much he wished too. Shikamaru grazed her face with his finger tips, moving the strands out of her face and finally her bangs, so he could see her whole face.

"We'll...it'll..." He couldn't even force a lie, he didn't feel okay, this situation wasn't remotely 'okay', how could he tell her that she, too, would be okay?

"Shikamaru...promise me you won't leave me...if you do..." She lowered her gaze, trembling again, his chest became tight, a lump formed in his throat. Ino was crumbling before him, Asuma was a pretty bad situation...but her father.. He pulled her close again, holding her head into his chest, he felt like the tighter he hugged her, that maybe it'd squeeze out the pain and terror that was drowning her.

Shikamaru slowly released her, and moved his hands from her her to her face, moving her bangs out of the way, "Ino..." He breathed, staring at the woman that now stood before him, she was so beautiful in every aspect, why he was now fully witnessing it, was beyond him, "I won't leave you...I promise..." His words held every ounce of truth he wanted them too, but he couldn't find a way to speak them without choking on the tears now pouring from his eyes.

Ino had only seen him this way once, her heart felt stiff, a cold numb emotion had swept through her. But seeing the strongest figure of her team, start to bend and break, evoked a deep loving emotion from her. Asuma's last wish ringing through her mind, to take care of Shikamaru and Chouji. She reached up and started to wipe away his tears with her fingertips, forcing some weak smile, "We can do this Shikamaru...We always find a way..."

There it was...even with the loss of their fathers, her fire could never be extinguished. Even though she was just begging him for help, she always found a way to rise from the ashes.

Without a second thought, he brought her face to his, it seemed to sail a little more easily than he expected. Warm, supple, and she tasted sweet? How? After all the carnage they both just experienced it was like she had primped and prepped for this moment, she could've somehow secretly snuck off and did so, and it wouldn't surprise him in the least bit. They parted only for a second of air, to be reunited again in a fiery passion.

Aside from a kiss that Temari stole from him, before the war, he had never kissed a woman. Here he was kissing two women within the same few days, as much as he enjoyed Temari's kiss, and it did bring a warmth to his heart. Ino's lips were silencing every demon he had, ailing every ache that had made a home in his body in the last day.

Was this just a passionate moment, brought on by emotions of losing loved ones? Was this moment built on fear? Hope? Emotions that finally were being heard, physically, for each other?

As many thoughts as they could have going through their heads...it wasn't any of these. They had each other in this dark alleyway, the sun barely illuminating any of the ground around them. And even though the weather was slightly chilled, and the alleyway was darkened, their fire was burning pretty bright to illuminate any dark days they had ahead...

Releasing again, a smile curled onto both of their faces, "I'll help you with your mother...if you want me too," Shikamaru whispered, moving one hand to her shoulder, the other pushing flyaway strains of gold from her slim face. Ino nodded, and intertwined her fingers with his, and they walked away to her home on their newest mission.

* * *

It had been about 2 weeks since all of the dark days had passed.

Every funeral was attended, every family consoled as best as they could be, wounds were mending but it would take time.

Shikamaru had finally seen Ino one day, she had been working at the Clinic frequently with Sakura, aiding in the psychiatric help of any children post-war. She was there from dawn to dusk it seemed, but he was able to steal some of her time, and he was relieved to see her after so long. He recently had been one of the Hokages right hand men, finishing up any last bit of business they had with any other villages, and within their own.

They had dinner that night at one of the many BBQ spots around town, Chouji was currently off on a mission helping to rebuild a town, so it was just the two of them. Which was what Shikamaru wanted, all of the food was very filling, but his stomach still felt empty, hungry for the conversation he wanted to engage her in about their last encounter.

The two finished, and walked outside, the dinner had been light-hearted, smiles and friendly comfort that they both needed after the grueling weeks of restoration.

"So about uh, what we did..." He started, he wasn't sure where to start or how to go about bringing up the kiss, he could feel his palms sweating in his pockets, "I just wanted you to know-"

Before he could finish though she started to speak.

"That we shouldn't have..." She audibly whispered, her eyes not meeting his, he couldn't really tell if it was a statement or question.

His eyes stared at her intently, and let out a sigh.

"Yeah...I agree," He looked away from the blonde, as she started again.

"Shikamaru...I feel like we were so wrapped in so many emotions...our fathers, Neji, so many of our comrades gone now..." Her eyes seemed to have a film over them, she wasn't looking him in the face, was this really what she wanted to say? "I-I...love you Shikamaru, but I'm not sure if we should've done that..."

He nodded, having nothing else to add, and they ended their dinner on this note.

Neither of them realized it would be this dinner, this day, that would be the start of the end of their usual bouts, their frequent dinners, and small talks.

The end of their intimate friendship.

* * *

 **"Do you Nara Shikamaru, take Temari, to become Nara Temari?"**

The voice boomed loudly, bringing her back from her reflections. Her blue eyes moved from the floor, to the couple standing at the podium. They both looked beautiful in their own way, but this whole situation left Ino feeling very discontent. A warm hand moved over hers, bringing it to their lap, she looked to it, and then to the pale, handsome face of her husband who was smiling at her.

"Very beautiful ceremony, isn't it?" He asked, smiling, she stared at his face in a confusion of emotions. It wasn't very long ago that they, too, stood in front of all their friends and proclaimed their eternal love for each other. That day she wasn't having these thoughts, could it be that Shikamaru did on her wedding day too? Her head nodded, and she could feel the bittersweet emotions now turning physical and running down her face. Sai lifted his other hand to his beautiful porcelain dolls face and wiped them away, "That beautiful huh?"

She gave a small smile, and chuckled, "I just never thought this day would come for his lazy ass..." She tightened her grip on Sai's hand.

Reassuring herself that everything happened for a reason, she assumed Shikamaru was only going to tell her that night that he regretted, so she beat him to the chase. Knowing him, he'd tell her that it'd compromise their teamwork, or something...and instead of letting her hopes rise high into the clouds that he loved to admire, she quickly cut the ties. In her mind, at that moment, it was better to have not loved at all. She hadn't thought back to the alleyway in a very long time, to the feeling that one kissed evoked, not realizing she had wanted him until she tasted him. It scared her in some way, scared her to the point that she didn't want to be denied by him.

But nothing was wrong with Sai, she adored him, she loved him. Of course she did. He was perfect for her, always bringing her back to reality, their fights were nonexistent because Sai never really responded to her anger, instead questioned it, and it tired her in some way. He was always there for her whenever she needed him, he surprised her a lot with gifts, ideas he got from books. His personality and her's were so different, but worked so well. Just like her's and Shikamarus...

Again, her thoughts consumed her, and now everyone was rising, applauding and hollering for the newest addition to the Nara family. The now newly weds, were dressed in traditional black and white wedding kimonos, Temari's hair was down, skimming just under her shoulders, Ino had given her small flowers to decorate her hair with.

Temari had tears rolling down her face, and a smile so big, and loving as she stared at her love. Shikamaru's smile was sincere, he looked so happy standing next to her. He was, he truly was. He never thought this moment would come from, Temari could be pretty brash sometimes, and well, he never thought she'd even say yes in the end to him. Move from her village to his, become a wife, and one day mother. He was excited for the days ahead.

But as his eyes scanned the crowd, he found two orbs of the ocean staring at him, the saltwater pouring from them down a slender, pale, beautiful face. Was she happy? Were they tears for him? _Of course Ino is happy..._ He told himself, she was married to someone she loved, and would one day become a mother herself.

But his mind went back to the day they kissed, and the day at the restaurant. How now, even with his new bride standing next to him, and her new husband by her side. He still wish he had talked over the occasional loud-mouth, and told her he loved. He felt it in his chest during that kiss, and regretted no moment of it. Growing up, he thought Ino was attractive, but really as they reached adult hood, he was finding her personality to be a beautiful thing. She was always there as his cheerleader, a shoulder to lean on when he was tired, a confidant.

He remembered how dirty, bloody, and scratched up she was, but she still radiated a strong fierce fire that ignited a flame in his heart for her. The way her lips tasted in the alley, and the way the saltwater tasted in his mouth as he walked away from the restaurant in despair that she didn't feel what he felt for her. He surely thought she had felt it in that moment...

Their eyes didn't break for a while. She stared at the handsome man she turned away in fear of his denial, he stared at the beautiful fully blossomed women that, for once, his intelligence didn't help him plan a way to keep her, he bowed out gracefully instead of admitting his true feelings.

Before he wanted to break his eye contact with her, Temari was pulling him down the aisle to the gardens where their reception would be held.

Ino's eyes didn't leave him though, and nor did his mind leave the idea of her alone.

 **A love lost...**


End file.
